Ex-priest Fired from Maine School Accused of Assaulting Minor

By Callie Ferguson
Bangor Daily News
November 29, 2017

https://bangordailynews.com/2017/11/29/news/state/ex-priest-fired-from-maine-school-accused-of-assaulting-minor/

A former Catholic priest who was fired from Cheverus High School in Portland in 1998 and served time for molesting boys in Massachusetts was indicted this month for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor in Freeport 20 years ago.

James F. Talbot, 80, has been charged with one count of gross sexual sexual assault with a minor under the age of 14, and one count of unlawful sexual contact with a minor under the age of 14.

The allegations against Talbot have been known to the Portland community for some time, after the Boston Globe’s Spotlight team brought the alleged molestation to light in an the early 2000s investigation of sex abuse inside the Catholic Church.

Talbot already has served time for assaulting teenage boys while he was their wrestling coach at Boston College High School, according to the Patriot Ledger. He was released in 2011 after serving six years of a five- to seven-year sentence, according to the paper.

A 2002 article in the Globe alleged Talbot “repeatedly” assaulted one student he taught and coached at Cheverus at the boy’s Freeport home.

Cumberland County District Attorney Stephanie Anderson said she expects Talbot will arraigned either Friday or Monday.

His defense attorney, Walter McKee of Augusta, declined to comment on the case Wednesday morning.

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